Jonathan Rogers, who earned his DSM as Coxswain of MTB 698 in 1944, later transferred to the RAN. He was serving on HMAS Voyager, a Daring Class destroyer, when on 10 February 1964 the Voyager was cut in two parts by the aircraft carrier, HMAS Melbourne. This resulted in the death of 81 Officers and Crew plus a Civilian engineer. Rogers, a large man, helped a number of young sailors to escape through a small hatchway and was heard comforting the others in prayer before they were lost beneath the waves.

There were exhaustive enquiries over this tragedy but the fine example of Rogers was acknowledged by the award of the George Cross. At the time his home was in the Gosford area about 100 kms north of Sydney and the memory of his service in this unhappy event was marked by naming an open area Rogers Park and erecting a memorial to him. The local former Naval ex-servicemen living in this pleasant holiday area have held a ceremony on the site each year remembering his courage and the men lost from the Voyager.

On 8th of this month, the fiftieth anniversary will be marked by the Chief of Navy and a Naval Band. Descendants of CPO Rogers living in the area will attend and any information about his time on MTB 698 would be appreciated.

Known Crew
TALtCdr John Roff Finlay Best RNVR TSLt 7th MGB Flotilla 9/2/42 HMS Minos II 5th MGB Flotilla 10/3/42 Commanding Officer MGB 91 3/42 – 7/42 TLt 12/7/42 Commanding Officer MGB 83 7/42 -3/44 Commanding Officer MTB 698 3/44 -5/44 and ended the war in HMS Bee DSC 1944 Two MIDs 1942
Obituary 18/10/04
John Roff Finlay Best was born on 12th July 1912 in Edinburgh and spent his early years in South Africa. He was educated at Winchester and Pembroke College, Cambridge where he read Agriculture. He was stroke in the winning Head of the River race in three consequtive years before becoming a coach with a winning crew at Henley in 1935. He coached the winning boat race crew in 1939.
He served in MGBs during the war, was awarded a DSC and twice mentioned in despatches.
At the end of the war, he returned to Jersey where he was a farmer and set up a wholesale business.
In 1952 he coached the British coxless four at the Helsinki Olympics where they came fourth.
He coached the winning Cambridge boat race crew in 1955, 1956 (16 lengths), 1958, 1961 and 1962 but lost in 1963
In 1985 his final coaching success was taking Pembroke College to the Head of the River
TLt John Edmund Atkinson RNVR TSLt 27/11/41 MTB 698 7/7/43 TLt 24/5/44 HMS Mantis